About THCQ

The Houston Cancer Quack is a resource for researchers, writers, and patients examining Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, the Burzynski Clinic, and the Burzynski Patient Group. It is run and maintained by a small group of volunteers, Skeptics for the Protection of Cancer Patients, who have grave concerns about the treatments available at the Clinic, the appropriateness of charging cancer patients exorbitant fees to start a treatment that remains unproven after 35+ years, and who urge patients to steer clear of antineoplastons until Dr. Burzynski publishes the results of a Phase III randomized controlled trial of ANP in a respectable journal.

Our header is a very clever reference to an intimidation tactic employed by Marc Stephens, a sometime-employee of Burzynksi, against a teenaged blogger, Rhys Morgan. Stephens sent Rhys Google images of his home and threatened to contact Rhys’ school. Such thuggery is unacceptable.

Elaine, that is a good question. The FDA has only said that Burzynski “answered their questions.” It’s clearly inadequate and I hope that you contact your senator’s office and demand an explanation. Have them talk to Sen. McCaskill’s office, who is taking point on this.

I am not a scientist, but have several years experience in cancer research and several years experience in an IRB and have worked for pharma too. I am no apologist for the flaws of our mainstream health care and research practices, and I believe that rebel voices need to be heard. But how this man has worked the system is simply breathtaking. I have written to my senators, but what will that do? If the FDA and OHRP allow him to continue, what other recourse is there? Who is going to sue him? His dead patients? Is the FDA just giving him rope to hang himself? Have they failed to protect the public? Even if he is collecting SOME usable data, how can anyone justify charging fees and advertising hope. It just makes me ill. Someone I care deeply about has informed me that she is an advocate of his. Her daughter died a horrific cancer death in the 70s at the hands of some very hungry and egotistical chemo researchers. She had an incurable cancer. How she died was a travesty and tortuous and surely unethical. So people who are in such pain like this, who never heal from medical abuse, are easy prey for hope sellers. He is selling a psychological salve that harms future patients.